


The Land of Rebellion and Healing

by villainousLimbo, visionaryScribe



Series: An Impossible Weight [1]
Category: Final Fantasy VII, Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Mary Sue, Other, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-18 19:08:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20644193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/villainousLimbo/pseuds/villainousLimbo, https://archiveofourown.org/users/visionaryScribe/pseuds/visionaryScribe
Summary: The universe is a big place, existence is even bigger when there are an infinite number of them. With so many existing and an endless cycle of life and death it made sense that there was a method for keeping everything at least somewhat organized. Our world is only a small piece of something so much greater, and if a few go missing for the greater good then who would really notice?Gen was not at all happy to wake up in the world of his favorite childhood video game with a mission from the gods of what he was almost certain was just a webcomic assigning him the mission to "Make it better." Fucking HOW?!?!





	1. The Baffling Beginning

Gen decided it was going to be a shit day when he woke up. His spine was on fire and the air was muggy and heavy making the weight of the thin sheet on him feel infinitely heavier than it should have. Fishing around in his mountain of pillows and stuffed animals he soon found his cell and managed to turn off the alarm without even looking at it. He groaned loudly and rolled onto his back to take a look at his cell. The lock screen lit up and he slid his combo pattern into the dots opening it up to check notifications.

The first thing to pop up was the time and weather. Already Gen needed to be up to start his day. There were four apps with messages waiting and his playlist was still open from the previous night. He decided to check his texts first as that would be the most important one. Limp, slender hands brought the screen closer than was healthy to his pale, freckled face so he could read with bleary dark brown eyes.

bugEyed [BE] began messaging  villainousNocturne [VN]

BE: Hey Gen! What do you really want from life? If you could help someone that you loved, if you could help the whole world to be a better place, would you?

Gen stared at the question completely baffled by it so early in the morning. Before he could really decide what to do about it though his small pomerat terrier jumped up against the side of his bed just hopping up and down because she could not reach over the side. She let out a little yap and Gen laughed a little setting the phone aside to look at the tiny brown dog.

“Hello Squeaky. You wanna go out?” Gen asked crooning sweetly to his dog.

Squeaky yapped again loudly and Gen leaned over towards her where she stood leaning against the bed and wagging her stumpy little tail at him. Gen forgot the question completely and got out of bed despite the poor mood he woke in and thought of nothing but opening the sliding glass door that led to the stone porch he had for his ground floor apartment. Squeaky bolted past his legs and out into the grass outside.

“Stay close Squeaky.” Gen called out but not too loudly and somewhat unnecessarily.

Squeaky was too cautious to actually get all that far, always checking back over her shoulder to make sure that Gen was still watching. She liked to keep him in sight at almost all times, he figured it was because he had raised her by hand since she was born a sickly runt. He was the only permanent figure in her life so it made sense that she was a bit too attached. Still, she explored as was her morning routine until she found a suitable spot for her business and then returned.

“Back already? Did you do your business outside? Are you a good girl? I bet you are!” Gen said happily baby talking the small sleekly furred dog.

Squeaky barked at him again her voice high and delighted as she wagged her little stubby tail at him again her but waggling with the effort. Gen smiled and went back inside the tiny dog prancing after him, he closed the door behind her and headed towards the kitchen and the shelf to get her dog food for her. He poured out a generous amount for the day into her bowl along with her water as well. He watched her begin to eat her kibble one piece at a time and huffed a little laugh as he began to toast his own poptarts. He sat down at the table close to her because Squeaky would stop eating and get upset if they were not ‘eating’ at the same time in the same place.

“Silly. Ugh, I don’t want to go to work today.” Gen groaned leaning against the table with an elbow. Squeaky ignored him of course.

Gen sighed and looked at his phone again spotting the message from his friend again as he got up to retrieve his toasted poptarts. He frowned at it thoughtfully before sitting back down and looking over to Squeaky to talk to her again despite her inability to understand him. She liked hearing his voice and he liked having someone to talk to.

“Sarie wants to know if I’d help someone I loved and the whole world if I could. You don’t think she’s trying to get me to join a charity or something do you? I don’t really have the time...I can donate some money though...Don’t mind ramen for a bit if it’s important…” Gen mused aloud as he nibbled on his cookies and cream flavored food.

Squeaky decided she was finished eating not even a quarter of the way through her bowl and walked over to Gen to stand on her back paws and put her front paws on his knees. Gen smiled again and leaned down to pick her up into his arms holding her in one arm like a baby. She leaned her little head against his shoulder a big happy smile on her face displaying all her teeth as she looked at him.

“As for what I really want...hm...I want to be a trophy wife. Man, they got it made. They get to be loved and adored and showered with gifts and money. If I didn’t have to work anymore I’d totally get back into making comics. Maybe get one actually published. What do you think?” Gen said looking down at Squeaky and nuzzling her cute tiny face with his own.

Gen sighed after realizing that it was about time that he left for work if he did not want to be late. He put his Squeaky down and the dog protested barking at him and circling around his legs repetitively to try and get him to pick her up again.

“No Squeaky, I gotta get ready. You just play out here.” Gen ordered turning on the radio on the sitting room coffee table for her before he went back towards his room to get ready.

Stretching his aching body Gen began the rest of his morning routine. He got dressed in an old dark blue hoodie with far too many holes, a plain gray tee shirt, and some old jeans. He went to the bathroom and stared at his reflection for a while as he brushed his teeth. Same dark black hair, a few strands of silver already striking through despite his youth, a rounded pale face dotted with freckles, and wide dark brown eyes. Same boring face as always. He got his keys and headed towards the door only for Squeaky to try and get underfoot again to stop him.

“No Squeaky, it’s work time now. Be a good girl while I’m out and use your litter box.” Gen instructed as he left and Squeaky sat beside the door looking up at him with big brown eyes.

Heart a little broken Gen made it to his car and drove off to work. He tried not to think about it as he went through his day but somehow his mind always went back to that question from his friend and worse still, the purpose behind it. Sarie had never asked him anything like that before. He did not think that  _ anyone _ had ever thought to ask him something like that. So, even with customers screaming in his ear during calls or with his hands working diligently on data lines, his mind was occupied elsewhere.

At lunch Gen did stop to wonder briefly why he was even giving the question so much honest contemplation. Normally he would have given some nonsensical and insincere answer, something surface and flippant. Yet even during his lunch period where he would normally try to briefly decompress just drawing a little he was just staring at blank white paper and wondering if he would help strangers. Would he really step in to help someone else, even at the cost of himself if it meant that the world could be a little brighter? A little softer and kinder? Why did Sarie even want to know something like that about him? Was she in trouble or something? He doubted it, girl was a genius and a literal scientist.

Thinking about his own life in comparison to his childhood friend’s Gen lost his appetite and stared at the blank sketch paper before him. He had dreams once...he remembered that he had always wanted to draw comic books...to marry someone that loved him wholeheartedly and just live a simple and quiet life with someone that loved him enough to be kind to him even when they were angry with him. Sarie had lived out  _ her _ dream, followed insects and bugs right into college and never stopped, not until she had become a scientist and worked for an actual entomology department somewhere half the country away.

But Gen...Gen had always been more inclined to endure. Just live another day and everything will be fine. But...he really  _ wasn’t _ fine was he? He was working at some shitty call center, barely able to afford his apartment or medications and just burning himself out on petty people that treated him like he was less than nothing because he  _ had _ to listen to their problems and fix them if he wanted to live. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath before letting it out again. It was just a silly question, nothing about it mattered. Just breathe and live another day.  _ Endure what you must _ .

The drive home was longer than usual, or at least it felt that way to Gen. Still, he made the forty minute drive out into the forest surrounded town he called home and finally got to his apartment door. He could already hear his dog yapping for him on the other side of the door and he smiled to himself. She always knew he was coming before he even reached the door.

He finally got the door open and instantly the tiny dog was rushing his shins and attempting to use them as a springboard to try and jump into his arms. He laughed a little and crouched down to scoop the little, sleek brown dog into his arms and held her like a baby as her little stumpy tail wagged like crazy and she tried to lick his face off. The knot that had been in his chest lifted as he cuddled her, at least there was someone that loved him.

“Hi baby! Who’s my good girl! Did you miss me Squeaky? I bet you did!” Gen cooed, baby talking his precious dog helplessly. He simply adored her too much NOT to spoil her. “Do you wanna go outside?! Outside!”

Squeaky yapped loudly her voice a high sort of squeaky bark. It still made him grin even though it was not nearly as high and squeaky as it was with she was a pup that fit in his palm. He remembered when she was just born, so small and frail and hugged her just a little more tightly as he walked fully into his apartment with her to let her out into the yard outside of his sliding door again.

“There you go Sweetie.” Gen said setting the squirming dog down and allowing her to speed off into the grass and trees. 

Watching Squeaky run around exploring and doing her business made Gen wonder briefly where Bosley was, the cat usually showed up around the time he got back from work and was already waiting for Squeaky. Usually the cat was not far from Squeaks and at least liked to watch Squeaky play around since the two were best friends. With Squeaky burning out all of her energy on the lawn and the few trees within his field of vision Gen decided to take some time to relax and ease his own thoughts just deciding that perhaps Dess had decided to keep him in today. He took a deep breath and sat down on the plastic chair that was just sitting outside. He pulled out his cell and opened up the text from his friend that morning.

villainousNocturne [VN] began messaging  bugEyed [BE]

VN: Yeah. If I could really help someone, especially someone I love then I would do it.

BE: Great!

BE: Hey, try this! It’s really challenging but I think you’d find it really rewarding.

<Download>

Gen stared at the button wondering vaguely how his friend Sarie managed to get an app button functional in a texting app. He also wondered how this silly app related to the question earlier but figured that it was much later in the day and she had probably strayed from her original thought with the first question by then. So he simply trusted his friend and downloaded the app.

Sylph of Space began messaging  villainousNocturne [VN]

Thank You Gen, Your Application Has Been Accepted  


Gen paused a little unsettled by the sudden pop-up that did not have a name attached to it. Application? Application for what? He really hoped he had not just downloaded a virus. If he did, he'd have to beat Sarie half to death with a sandal. The app downloaded so quickly he did not have the chance to cancel it and he frowned when his screen blacked out for a moment before his entire phone flashed so brightly he was blinded for a moment. Blinking the spots from his vision he looked down at the screen and read:

Knight of Blood began trolling  villainousNocturne [VN]

ALRIGHT YOU MIRACULOUS PIECE OF SHIT, WELCOME TO THE FLAY SQUAD. IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE WARY OF THE NAME AND SQUEAMISH OR ADVERSE TO RIPPING A GREEDY MORONIC FOOL’S HEAD OFF, DON’T WORRY. YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO BE THE ONE TO DO THAT. THERE WILL BE OTHERS IN THE SQUAD WHO ARE WILLING TO LEND A HAND THERE.

THAT SAID AND OUT OF THE WAY, YOU’LL SEE THAT YOUR PALMHUSK HAS CHANGED IN ALMOST EVERY WAY. THIS IS NORMAL. WELL, YOUR NEW NORMAL. YOU’VE BEEN INVITED OR OTHERWISE CHOSEN TO BE ONE OF MY THRESHECUTIONERS, AND FOR SOME FUCKING REASON, I ACCEPTED YOU IN. CONGRATULATIONS, YOU NOW HAVE CHANGED CAREERS FOR LIFE, IF YOU EVER HAD ONE TO BEGIN WITH.

FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE MEANT TO DO FROM HERE ON OUT AND HOW TO FIND THINGS THROUGH THE APP WILL EITHER BE ADDRESSED IN THE FAQ OR IN SOME BIZARRE DREAMBUBBLE TUTORIAL I’VE BEEN BRIBED INTO RUNNING.

Gen frowned at the screen unsettled and definitely annoyed, this had to be a virus of some kind. Everything had been rearranged and looked so different than usual. He opened up the FAQ anyway and went through the whole list confused as to what the whole thing was even supposed to be for. Virus or not it was at least fun with how much it reminded him of Homestuck, it was his guilty pleasure but this was entirely out of hand.

Gen clicked out of the FAQ which mostly just showed him how his cell had been altered so that everything mostly went through this Trollian skin and mostly ended up using Troll vernacular for everything. It seemed to have affected everything and added a few new app icons to his home page. The new apps were labelled Inventory, Status, Skill Map, World Map, and Summons.

Gen found his text app again, it was easy when it was just called Trollian, he opened his conversation with Sarie to ask her why this app had reskinned his whole phone and what virus she had given him and frowned when he noticed that the previous messages had all been deleted. According to Trollian the last message sent was a week prior concluding their conversation about Kingdom Hearts. He moved his thumb to push the power button for a moment to see if he could reset it when he noticed his case, which was usually blue, was now  _ brown _ .

Alarmed he turned his phone around and saw that his case was almost entirely brown barring one diagonal line of crimson red with three drops coming from it. This was the symbol for the Blood Aspect...it was also  _ impossible _ . A virus could  _ not _ just change the appearance of your  _ phone case _ . His heart began to pound in his chest as he turned his phone around again and read through the apps.

Gen tried to figure out what this reskin was supposed to do. He really hoped he wasn’t supposed to play sburb or some equivalent because he would die in point five seconds. His hands were shaking a little as he examined his new phone case over his phone. That was fucked up and he felt like he was losing his mind. A soft chirp sounded and Gen flipped his phone over to read a new message.

Knight of Blood began trolling  villainousNocturne [VN]

QUEST! FIRST BLOOD

WE’RE STARTING YOU OFF ON EASY MODE. WITH A QUEST TO A PLANET THAT YOU KNOW INSIDE AND OUT. YOU’VE VISITED IT SO MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS YOU WILL KNOW HOW TO HEAL THE TIMELINES OF THAT REALM AND CREATE A STABLE ALPHA TIMELINE TO CARRY THE BRANCHES.

GO THROUGH THIS WORLD AND FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS. CREATE THE *TRUE END* AND THE BRANCHING TIMELINES WILL SNAP INTO PLACE STABILIZING ALL TIMELINES. IF YOU MANAGE TO STABILIZE THE TIMELINES AND LOOP THEM WITH THE ALPHA TIMELINE YOU WILL KEEP THAT UNIVERSE FROM COLLAPSING INTO ENTROPY.

BUT NO PRESSURE. REMEMBER THAT THIS IS JUST THE *BEGINNER LEVEL* YOU ALREADY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO CREATE THE BEST ENDING SO JUST DO WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT.

GOOD LUCK FUCKNUTS

When Gen woke again it was with a gasp and a sharp pain in his wrists as he was yanked from the darkness in a searing pull. He couldn’t breathe and his body was sinking into a burning liquid. Hazy green filled his vision and he let out a bubble of air and kicked his feet desperately to follow it to the top. It took a few bubbles but he made it to the surface of the harsh green liquid quickly and threw his bound arms onto the cold, sharp white snowy ground.

“Gen!” A small voice sobbed out loudly small hands tugging at his clothes and arms desperate and trembling as they tried to pull him out of the thick green liquid.

Gen’s blurred vision took a few moments to clear as he gasped raggedly trying to get fresh air into his lungs. As his full vision returned to him he saw that he was surrounded by snow and that a small child was crying over him. Cute. They were so small, pale with a mess of freckles and spiky blond hair. Their teary, clear blue eyes were so wide and bright.

“S’okay...shh…” Gen mumbled as best he could the instinctive urge to comfort the crying child overwhelming despite his exhaustion and pain.

“I thought you died.” The child sobbed tiny arms wrapping around him tightly despite how soaked his clothing.

“I’m okay Cloud...I’m okay.” Gen muttered breathing more softly, the words came naturally and even surprised him a little. But the pull of sleep was calling him and he could hear shouting in the distance. “Run...Save...save yerself…”

“No!” The child shouted even as darkness pulled Gen back into the depths. Fuck he really hoped that kid would be okay.


	2. A New Destiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gen wakes up in a new world and with some new problems to deal with. Just how the hell are you supposed to start a journey of this magnitude when you were in the body of a kid?!

There were days where Gen woke up in his small bed, in his small body, and was  _ crippled _ by homesickness. Though this young body had none of the aches and pains of his old one it was foreign to him instead. He looked almost nothing like himself and though Cloud Strife had been one of his most adored characters growing up he had never considered  _ looking _ like him. At least not for anything beyond cosplay. Though he luckily had not taken the place of Cloud Strife, he had come fairly close taking a place at his side as a twin that had  _ never  _ been in any of the series.

The homesickness would sometimes hit him during the day as well while he was out and about. Though he could get through his days quietly observing his surroundings he often fell into routines he had made in his previous life. Especially when Claudia Strife; their mother, he often had to remind himself, fell short of providing the nurturing care that small children  _ needed _ . She was a  _ far _ too young single mother and Gen never blamed her, but it always caused him to slip into the habits he had made when caring for his mentally unstable mother and younger siblings in his previous life. 

Claudia never seemed to notice that it was unusual for her children to take care of her more often that she did them so Gen never said anything about it. It certainly helped to ease the chasm in his chest that the memory of his first family had left behind and lessened the grief that never seeing them again caused. This new family was small and quiet, but almost as disastrous as his first one. It gave him a familiar and comforting place within it at least, unhealthy as it was.

Though he and Cloud were technically the same exact age as twins, Gen was almost forty mentally and fell far too easily into raising his brother rather than just playing with him and sharing this  _ childhood _ . Gen had never considered  _ raising _ children in his previous life considering how fragile they always felt to him, but his heart always eased and swelled with love when Cloud smiled brightly just for him. It had gotten less and less weird over the years and Cloud had become less a  _ character _ and  _ more _ a baby sibling to be protected.

At this point Cloud was about the only reason Gen got out of bed anymore. Gen worried about Cloud finding that out, it was a lot of pressure to put on a child. He should probably have found something more sustainable to hinge his existence on but he knew the only reason he was even really here was for Cloud, well more likely the entire planet but he frankly liked Cloud better. So it was much easier to smile and roll over to greet the day when it was Cloud that snuck into his room in the early morning and climbed into his bed with him.

“Mom off at the shop again?” Gen asked softly running his small thin fingers through Cloud’s mess of soft blond hair.

“I don’t think she came home last night again.” Cloud admitted with concern.

Gen frowned and sighed softly just looking at his twin brother. Wildly spiky blond hair, wide blue eyes, innocent and youthful face with a small spattering of light brown freckles. He was only about ten years old, so young and sweet. Gen ignored that as his twin in this incarnation he was also only ten and looked mostly the same barring his blood red eyes.

Gen was a little frustrated by how often Claudia left Cloud alone to work in the local machine shop. It was their only source of income and Gen understood that it was difficult in this tiny mountain town for a single mom to make a living and support two children properly, but it still hurt him how often Cloud was alone. He was fine with it considering his mental age, but Cloud being as young as he was, was still developing emotionally and mentally.

“Hey, let’s do something fun today.” Gen coaxed with a gentle smile. Cloud looked up at him with those wide blue eyes.

“Fun?” Cloud asked his soft round face so hopeful it made Gen’s depression ease away and a full smile climb onto his face.

Maybe he could not meet his baby June again and would never see him grow into a real man and meet all the proper adult milestones, but he would see  _ this _ brother through everything. He would save his brother from the horrible future he was destined for if he had to tear the entire world apart to do it. He reached out and pulled Cloud close and into a hug.

“I love you Cloud. More than all the stars in the sky and all the fish in the sea. Even if the whole world becomes your enemy, I’ll be by your side.” Gen told him softly.

“You’re so weird Gen...I love you too.” Cloud said softly.

Gen sat up and smiled at his new baby brother. He...more than anything in the world Gen wanted to protect this tiny child and his precious smile. That innocent heart filled with so much hope and love. He wished he could protect Cloud from everything to come, but realistically he knew that was an impossible dream. So he would instead do everything in his power to prepare him for it and subvert what he could of the future.

“Today is going to be a special day Cloud.” Gen told him with a decisive firmness to his voice and stance as he stood on the cold hardwood floor of his room with his small fists on his hips. Cloud sat up in Gen’s bed and scooted to the end to stand up as well.

“Special? How?” Cloud asked wary but curious, usually Gen got them into trouble with his ‘ideas’ but they were always a blast.

“I’m going to teach you how to be a badass and share the secrets of the universe with you,” Gen declared turning towards the door. “But first; breakfast.”

“Mom says you’re not supposed to swear Gen.” Cloud scolded following after his slightly older twin.

Cloud was a little unsure about what Gen could mean about the secrets of the universe. But felt it may have something to do with the lingering haze of sorrow that followed his brother everywhere. Maybe he was finally ready to confide in him! His heart ached a little at the thought and he hurried after his brother to hold his hand until they reached the kitchen.

Ever since Gen had fallen into that pool of Mako he had been working a little harder than before. Cloud had noticed that he had begun to do adult things more often. Like cooking and cleaning. He did not play pretend with him as often and was never as invested in playing as Cloud was. Cloud had tried to follow his example and be more mature too but that only seemed to make Gen sad so he had stopped.

It was confusing and somewhat upsetting that Gen was trying to grow up and do everything that their mother was ‘supposed’ to be doing for them and their mother had begun to take on more work in her certainty that her children were ‘maturing’ enough to care for themselves for the most part. Things had changed so much and so quickly that Cloud had become unsettled and uncertain of his place by Gen’s side. They...no longer felt equal, in fact, the distance almost seemed to increase every day and Cloud feared that one day soon the distance would be too great and Gen would leave him behind.

“Gen?” Cloud began, his voice small and hesitant as he watched Gen pulling together all the ingredients for pancakes.

“Yeah?” Gen asked looking over his shoulder to smile gently at Cloud for a moment before going back to what he was doing.

“You... why do you do things that grown-ups do?” Cloud asked.

“What do I do that grownups do?” Gen responded almost absently as he cracked a few eggs into the flour.

“Um...you take care of me, and you make sure we have clothes, wood for heat, and that we have food.” Cloud listed becoming a little frustrated that Gen did not seem to see it himself.

“I do it because I care about you, Cloudy Day.” Gen said firmly, he was not sure he would do these things for himself after all.

“Okay but  _ why _ ? Are you...Are you gonna go away soon?” Cloud spoke faintly, voicing the fear that had been pressing into his heart day by day.

“What gave you that idea?” Gen asked turning to give Cloud his full attention clearly alarmed by what Cloud had said.

“Cause when kids get grown up they leave! That’s what everybody says they’re gonna do when they get older, but you already do things that they do!” Cloud said a little louder than he meant to a flush to his cheeks and a slight stinging in his eyes. “You’ve been like this since you almost died…”

“Oh...oh Cloud. I’m sorry. I’ve been so worried about...about the future I’ve been neglecting the present I think...Fuck, I’m sorry Cloud.” Gen hopped down from where he had climbed onto the counter and walked over to sit at the table with Cloud. “Cloud I...there’s so much I want to tell you that I don’t even know where to start…”

“Well...The beginning is always good.” Cloud offered with a hesitant smile. Gen laughed a little and shook his head.

“There are so many beginnings Cloud. I guess I’ll just start with mine.” Gen offered, he did not want Cloud to suffer anymore for his own hesitance to be honest after all. He took a deep breath and thought of where to start that Cloud would understand. “Do you remember when I fell into the mako?”

“Yeah, you almost drowned and it burned your arms up…” Cloud said softly, the memory painful.

“The thing is...when that happened I remember it a _ lot _ differently. What I remember is that I was at home, my apartment I mean, with my dog and I got a weird message on my cell-er PHS I mean. I was reading the message and it said that I was needed for something important. After I read it...something pulled me. I felt hot irons or ropes or something yanking on me and pulling me into painful darkness. I woke up in thick green water and it burned.” Gen spoke softly, explaining his own perspective of what happened. Cloud scrunched up his adorable little nose clearly confused by what Gen was telling him.

“But...we don’t have any of those things. You live in a house with us not a dog and you don’t have a PHS…” Cloud muttered.

“That’s true but Cloud...That’s what I remember. I remember being twenty-eight years old. I remember a whole other life; I had a mom, step-dad, and two younger brothers. I had a small dog and my own apartment. I was miserable but it was my life. But then I woke up here and I had a different mother...I had a new brother. I remember growing up with you Cloud and I remember Mom but...I also remember  _ that _ life and Cloud…” Gen paused unsure how to continue.

Cloud stared at the table and his small hands pensively. This seemed completely impossible, this was the only life there was after all. But Gen was so certain and Cloud knew that even though Gen sometimes kept secrets he had never outright  _ lied _ to him. Besides, he had known Gen their whole lives and Gen...Gen clearly believed what he was saying.

“Cloud back in my past life...there were.. _ .legends _ about you.” Gen said careful to word his thoughts so that they did not belittle Cloud or what this world would go through in the future.

Cloud looked startled as he spoke up again, “Me? Why were there legends about  _ me _ ?”

Gen smiled softly at him before he continued, “You become a brave and compassionate warrior in the future. At a terrible, painful cost...in Final Fantasy-uh, the legend, the electric company Shinra is an evil empire built on greed and deceit and was doing horrible things to people in secret labs. Turning some people into monsters and hurting all of them deeply… Something horrible happened and the Cloud of legend found out about all the evil things Shinra was doing to people, to the whole world and he and his very best friends fought against them. Shinra was killing the planet and stealing the blood from it...they call it mako but it’s the very life of the planet Cloud and the legend...In the legend you lead your friends against Shinra and against the monster Sephiroth and save the whole world.” Gen explained, it was a long explanation and he did his best to make it comprehensive for a child without explaining the true horrors of what Cloud may face if Gen failed in his protection.

Cloud had seemed almost enthralled by his tale, short and vague as it was. He knew of Shinra, everyone did after all. But everything Gen said was almost too fantastic to believe. But this was his brother, the one person in the world that loved him and always took the time to be honest with him. It sounded almost like a fairy tale, darker aspects and all. Listening however he grew concerned about what the explanation lacked.

“But Gen...where are _ you _ in the legend?” Cloud asked a little faintly. Gen paused as though not expecting the question.

“Well...in the legend I never existed. You had grown up alone and when you turned fifteen you had gone to Midgar to join SOLDIER.” Gen explained. “You had been an only child and you had a difficult time making friends at first...but you managed to make friends later that followed you to the ends of Gaia.”

“But I’m  _ not _ an only child! You’re here! You’re real!” Cloud protested clearly displeased by the explanation. Gen immediately abandoned his chair at Cloud’s distress and walked around the table to hug Cloud tightly and sooth him.

“I am. I’m here and real and I’m...I’m going to make things better.” Gen vowed hugging Cloud tightly as the child clung to him.

“I don’t want to be a legend if it means you won’t be there too.” Cloud admitted. Gen took a deep breath and smiled just a little, touched by the confession.

“Then let's do our best to make it so there’s no need for a legend at all. We’ll save the world together and keep things from ever getting that bad,” Gen said firmly separating just a little to lift his small, pale hand and offer a warm glowing red light. It almost looked like the glow of a firefly. “What do you say Cloud? Will you join my Party?”

Cloud looked at the glowing light in wonder only just coming to the realization that this... _ this was real _ , he reached out and touched the light, “Yes.”


End file.
